Articles
Impact of salinity stress on fruit quality of Mediterranean tomato landraces in soilless culture
Article number
1437_37
Pages
291 – 298
Language
English
Abstract
Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is the most productive vegetable crop in southern Europe and the second in terms of production and consumption worldwide.
However, challenges such as salinity stress induced by climate change pose a threat to its yield and alter its quality attributes.
In soilless greenhouse cultivation, a method employed to enhance the organoleptic traits of tomato fruit involves applying mild salt stress application.
However, the application of this practice is carried out at levels that do not affect yield.
The objective of this study was to assess the impact of moderate salinity stress on fruit quality of six Mediterranean tomato landraces (‘de Ramellet’, ‘Valldemossa (de)’, ‘Seccagno PSC1-1’, ‘CC_1665 Pollena’, ‘Chondrokatsari’, ‘Areti’) and one commercial cultivar, ‘Moneymaker’, which was used as a reference.
The experiment was conducted at the greenhouse facilities of the Laboratory of Vegetable Production, Agricultural University of Athens.
Plants were subjected to either 30 mM NaCl in the root zone for salinity stress or a non-saline treatment using a nutrient solution containing 0.5 mM NaCl.
Fruit quality parameters, including fruit diameter (FD), fruit firmness (FF), titratable acidity (TA), and total soluble solids content (TSSC), were evaluated.
The results indicated that there were no significant differences in quality characteristics for the ‘Valldemossa (de)’ landrace under NaCl stress.
Interestingly, the application of the stress factor resulted in improved FF, TSSC, and TA for ‘de Ramellet’ and ‘CC_1665 Pollena’, although there was a reduction in FD. Conversely, cultivation of the ‘Seccagno PSC1-1’ and ‘Chondrokatsari’ landraces under moderate salinity did not impact FD, yet resulted in increased FF for ‘Seccagno PSC1-1’ and decreased FF for ‘Chondrokatsari’. This research contributes valuable insights into sustainable tomato production under salinity stress, highlighting the potential for genetic diversity to address challenges posed by environmental factors such as salinity.
However, challenges such as salinity stress induced by climate change pose a threat to its yield and alter its quality attributes.
In soilless greenhouse cultivation, a method employed to enhance the organoleptic traits of tomato fruit involves applying mild salt stress application.
However, the application of this practice is carried out at levels that do not affect yield.
The objective of this study was to assess the impact of moderate salinity stress on fruit quality of six Mediterranean tomato landraces (‘de Ramellet’, ‘Valldemossa (de)’, ‘Seccagno PSC1-1’, ‘CC_1665 Pollena’, ‘Chondrokatsari’, ‘Areti’) and one commercial cultivar, ‘Moneymaker’, which was used as a reference.
The experiment was conducted at the greenhouse facilities of the Laboratory of Vegetable Production, Agricultural University of Athens.
Plants were subjected to either 30 mM NaCl in the root zone for salinity stress or a non-saline treatment using a nutrient solution containing 0.5 mM NaCl.
Fruit quality parameters, including fruit diameter (FD), fruit firmness (FF), titratable acidity (TA), and total soluble solids content (TSSC), were evaluated.
The results indicated that there were no significant differences in quality characteristics for the ‘Valldemossa (de)’ landrace under NaCl stress.
Interestingly, the application of the stress factor resulted in improved FF, TSSC, and TA for ‘de Ramellet’ and ‘CC_1665 Pollena’, although there was a reduction in FD. Conversely, cultivation of the ‘Seccagno PSC1-1’ and ‘Chondrokatsari’ landraces under moderate salinity did not impact FD, yet resulted in increased FF for ‘Seccagno PSC1-1’ and decreased FF for ‘Chondrokatsari’. This research contributes valuable insights into sustainable tomato production under salinity stress, highlighting the potential for genetic diversity to address challenges posed by environmental factors such as salinity.
Publication
Authors
T. Ntanasi, I. Karavidas, G.P. Spyrou, E. Giannothanasis, V. Fotopoulos, À.M. Conesa, L. Sabatino, D. Savvas, G. Ntatsi
Keywords
abiotic stress, NaCl stress, organoleptic characteristics, Solanum lycopersicum, hydroponics
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